The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has reiterated the potential of utilizing Starlink in areas which have been ravaged by pure disasters. In a latest touch upon social media platform X, Elon Musk famous that the US’ Starlink deal, which was later revoked by the FCC, might have value considerably much less if the federal government didn’t insist on “so many loopy necessities that add no worth.”
As famous in a FOX Information report, the FCC launched an initiative 4 years in the past that awarded grants to corporations that would present high-speed web entry to the US’ underserved areas. SpaceX gained an $885.5 million grant from the initiative, which was meant to attach over 640,000 properties and companies—at a price of about 1,300 per equipment—in 35 states throughout the nation. The grant, nevertheless, was rescinded in 2022. The FCC reaffirmed its determination in December 2023.
Starlink’s functionality to present web connectivity in areas affected by disasters was highighted not too long ago as FEMA and personal people and organizations deployed Starlink kits to areas that had been hit onerous by Hurricane Helene. Amidst the continuing restoration efforts, some customers in X famous that the 5 most impacted states by Hurricane Helene would have over 92,800 Starlink kits at their disposal had the FCC not revoked its award for the satellite tv for pc web system. What’s extra, every Starlink equipment within the 5 most affected states would have value simply over $1,000 per equipment.
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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
In a response on X, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk famous that the worth of every Starlink equipment for the US’ underserved areas might even have been decrease. As per Musk, the worth of each Starlink equipment beneath the rescinded FCC award acquired increased as a result of the federal government insisted on necessities that didn’t actually add something of worth. “By the way in which, the worth might be a lot much less if the federal government didn’t insist on so many loopy necessities that add no worth,” Musk wrote in his response on X.
By the way in which, the worth might be a lot much less if the federal government didn’t insist on so many loopy necessities that add no worth
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
Since rescinding Starlink’s $885 million award, the US authorities would now be spending over $42 billion to offer fiber high-speed web to underserved areas. As famous by FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, “Now you’ve acquired instances the place the federal government is spending within the ballpark of, and in some instances in extra of, $100,000 per location to construct out fiber high-speed web to those places.”
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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
Curiously sufficient, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel additionally hinted at a convention earlier this yr that Starlink has development far too prolific, and that the satellite tv for pc web system wants some competitors. As per the FCC Chairwoman, Starlink has “virtually two-thirds of the satellites which might be in area proper now and has a really excessive portion of web visitors.” She additionally famous that “Our financial system doesn’t profit from monopolies. So we’ve acquired to ask many extra space actors in lots of extra corporations that may develop constellations and improvements in area.”
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